On Thursday, “That 70’s Show” star Danny Masterson was sentenced in California to 30 years to life for raping two women he met through the Church of Scientology in 2001 and 2003.
In May, a Los Angeles jury found Masterson guilty of two counts of forcible rape but it could not reach a verdict on the third count that pertained to the rape of his girlfriend in 2001. Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, was present during the sentencing hearing in which Masterson’s two victims provided statements, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The two victims claimed it took them years to levy rape allegations against Masterson because the church’s ideology barred them from reporting him to police. One of the victims described in court how her mother, a practicing Scientologist, cut ties with her in 2020.
“She texted me and told me to never contact her again. She had warned me ahead of time she wanted to see Danny Masterson locked away for what he’d done to me, but not at the expense of her religion,” she said, per The Los Angeles Times.
The first victim recalled becoming disoriented with Masterson before he brought her to his home and violently raped her while brandishing a gun and smothering her with a pillow. The second victim also claimed Masterson took her to his home once she came disoriented and raped her. She claimed the attack was so violent she vomited, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Masterson did not speak during the sentencing hearing or testify at his second trial. The first trial ended late last year with a hung jury.
Masterson was sentenced to 15 to life for the two counts, to be served consecutively. In a statement issued after Thursday’s sentencing, Masterson’s legal team claimed they have identified “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” which they will address in appeals.
This story is developing…
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[Featured image: Danny Masterson/Lucy Nicholson/Pool Photo via AP]
